Saying he is willing to initiate the movement, LeBron James would like to see any NBA player who wears No. 23 to choose another number as homage to Michael Jordan.

With Jordan looking on from a third-row seat Thursday night, James scored 34 points to help the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Heat 111-104 in Miami. Afterward, the reigning MVP told TNT he plans to switch his number from 23 to 6 after this season.

"I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon," James said. "There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn't Michael Jordan first.

"He can't get the logo [Hall of Famer Jerry West's silhouette adorns the NBA's logo], and if he can't, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I'm starting a petition, and I've got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I'm not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.":nerd2:

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Players changing jersey numbers, at least during this decade, are not unprecedented. James briefly switched to No. 45 a few years ago before going back to No. 23. Bryant, whose No. 24 is among the league's biggest sellers, switched from No. 8 a few seasons ago.

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So now he's going to show respect to Michael Jordan and the game of basketball by switching...to Bill Russell and Dr J's number. :nerd2:

Maybe he should change his number to the number of championships he's won - 0

I know you're joking, but that would actually be a very good move for him (if Gilbert Arenas didn't beat him to it).

Then, every time he won a championship, he could change his number. It would serve as a constant motivator every time you see yourself in the mirror in the locker room.

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so your saying he should change his number to zero and thats where it will be for the rest of career? unless he tricks one of his buddies into signing for a sweetheart deal so he has somebody to take the heat off him...

True, then there is also the fact that Wade can jump twice as high which also makes a big difference. Wade is trying to go over you while Stuckey has to go through you.

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Great point that I failed to mention, I too noticed that last night, Wade takes alot of fouls on the forearm because the defender just doesn't get up to where Wade is - which is at or above the rim; Stuck on the other hand doesn't explode or extend and ends up well below the rim, double clutching his way into a blocked Fg attempt.

I saw a scrolling graphic today on ESPN that the Kings are 4-4 and this is the first time they had been .500 or better since 12/4/2006. (when they were 8-8) Wow ..that means they lost the season opener 3 seasons in a row and could never get back to .500 the whole season let alone the first week.

If the win tonight vs the Rockets, it will be the first time they would be over .500 since they were 8-7 on 12/2/06.

The remarkable thing about their 4-4 record this season is that they lost the last game Kevin Martin played in and have won the three since he has been out to climb to 4-4. Their upcoming schedule looks rough, so will probably fall back .500 and stay there for awhile. Then again, maybe they don't need him, like we don't need Tay, and the Lakers who are 7-1 don't need Pau Gasol...???

Great games tonight and a number of surprises. First of all the supposedly bottom tier Kings won their 4th in a row without little K-mart...and got over 500 for the first time in three years (5-4) .I guess Martin is expendable.??

The two losers by the Hudson Bay, NY Knicks and JZ Nets extend their combined records to 1-18 with losses the the Warriors and the Magic who finally get Rashard Lewis back in their next game.

Not to be out done the equally struggling Twolves and Sixers lost again to the Mavs and Jazz.

New Orleans lost again despite the GM taking over for the fired B Scott. CP3 went down with a supposed severe ankle injury, which means the GM will be on the hot spot in two weeks ...

My second fav team the LA Clippers were once again victimized by bad coaching and bad play as they blew a 22 point lead and allowed Raptors to break 88-88 tie with about 7 mins left in the game and finish on a 16-1 run to end the game 104-89. The Raptors hit 9 three pointers including 4 in that closing 16-1 run. The Clippers blew a 17 point lead in the third qtr to the Thunder on Wednesday so like I said yesterday, Byron Scott your job is waiting for you in LA...

Now the two marqespn games of the night. The two favorites Celtics and Lakers were on a roll and the ESPN announcers were not only penciling them as probable winners tonight, probable NBA finalist too.But somebody threw a monkey wrench in the script...

Jamal Crawford came off the bench to score 18 pts and help Joe Johnson and the Hawks hand the Celtics their second home Friday loss of the season. (Please somebody check to see if any of our games in Boston are on a Friday night)

Looks like Pierce went down in that game too and I hope it is not serious as he does fill up multiple stat categories on my fantasy team. Sheed was 1-5 from beyond the arc in the loss.

The supposedly best team in the NBA Lakers (because they routed the hot Suns last night) were spanked by the Nuggets tonight by 26 points in a statement game where my other fantasy stud Kobe Bryant was held scoreless in the second half when the Nuggets outgunned Lakers 47--23. Former Piston defensive star Afllollo held Kobe to 2/10 shooting while he was guarding him. It still pains me that 3 players on that Nugget team, CB, CA and AA should be all wearing Pistons unis..thnx Joe

Got to take the wife out on a movie date tomorrow and visit her dad because it's his birthday so I will miss tomorrows game, but you all have a great time in chat and cheer on the Pistons

Wow. Denver holds Kobe scoreless in the second half and holds the Lakers to 8 points in the third qtr. Sounds like Billups is preaching his defense philosophy thang he picked up in Detroit cause Denver was a joke of a defensive team before his arrival. I like how Big Ben is bringing that emphasis back to the Pistons.